Federal CIO Forecast 2026
FY26 Federal CIO Priorities, Straight from the Source
With a new administration, rising cost pressures, urgent AI ambitions, and a mandate to modernize, federal CIOs are at the center of a high-stakes government transformation.
How are tech priorities shifting in response?
MeriTalk’s second annual Federal CIO Forecast captures insights from 10 federal CIO offices on their IT strategies for the year ahead. The report explores FY26 priorities – what’s changed, what’s missing, and what needs to happen next.
The FY26 priority leaderboard
#1
Artificial intelligence
70% rank it in their top three – more than double last year
#2
Infrastructure modernization
Jumps from #7 to #2, but support still lags
#3
Cybersecurity
Drops in rank, but remains foundational
WATCH: Federal CIOs: FY26 Top Tech Priorities
“The pace of government isn’t always fast, but it’s faster than it’s ever been… the moves that we’ve made in six months are on pace with what we’ve seen in six years.”- Federal CIO